Tag archives for China
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By Kelli Barrett, Ecosystem Marketplace In East China’s Fujian Province, the booming economy has been good to the cities of Sanming and Nanping, as well as to farmers in the surrounding hills. That, however, has been bad news for the Min River and to the downstream city of Fuzhou, which gets its water from…
Arctic Experiencing More Than Just Melt
Posted by Tim Profeta of Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University on May 9, 2013 Carbon dioxide emissions are soaking into Arctic waters and affecting the chemistry of the ocean, a new report by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program shows. Increasing carbon dioxide emissions and freshwater runoff challenge the ocean’s ability to neutralize acidification—an imbalance caused by absorption of the greenhouse gas from the air. The study said the Arctic’s cold water makes it more vulnerable to…
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What does it mean for a civilization to collapse? Are we destined to follow suit? Archaeologists working around the world conclude a week-long conference with their perspectives.
Why did ancient civilizations begin with the building of such huge monuments? Archaeologists working around the world share their reflections.
After days of presentations on five of the world’s great ancient civilizations, archaeologists from sites all around the world debate and discuss the meaning of civilization and what we can learn today from the lessons of the past.
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Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best way to listen to National Geographic Weekend, or pick your favorite segments and listen now below! Episode: 1317 – Air…
Geography in the News: North Korea Threatens Again
Posted by Neal Lineback of Maps101.com and Maps.com on April 18, 2013 By Neal Lineback and Mandy Lineback Gritzner Geography in the NewsTM and Maps.com North Korea’s Threats At the end of March, 2010, North Korea launched a torpedo that sank a South Korean warship, the Cheonan, killing 46 service members. More recently throughout the spring of 2013, North Korea’s youthful leader launched a tirade against South…
Posted by Celia Ho, a 14-year-old girl from Hong Kong, has been working on an ivory ban campaign to help save elephants from the inhumane ivory market. In this post for A Voice for Elephants, Celia talks about some of her projects and asks for everyone’s support.
Carbon Tax Is a Popular Topic in Washington
Posted by Tim Profeta of Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University on March 14, 2013 Since China announced it will hold off plans to introduce a carbon tax, the idea has generated some activity on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers on Tuesday proposed a draft bill that would charge the largest industrial polluters a fee for, or carbon tax on, their fossil-fuel emissions. The plan, proposed by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Rep. Earl…
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A newfound ancestor of modern bugs has some pretty bizarre traits—its legs are under its mouth, and its spine extends far above its brain, a new study says.
Posted by Sunday is opening day for the two-week-long 16th meeting, in Bangkok, Thailand, of the world’s leading body for regulating the world’s wildlife—the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). How will the gathering decide on the issue of legalizing the sale of ivory?
The Ivory Trade: Thinking Like a Businessman to Stop the Business
Posted by John Bredar of National Geographic Television in A Voice for Elephants on February 26, 2013 Most experts believe China is the world’s leading consumer of ivory products, and, according to a recent survey conducted to support our upcoming National Geographic Special, Battle for the Elephants, China’s demand for ivory products is at an all-time high. According to the poll, 84 percent of Chinese middle and upper-middle class consumers surveyed plan to buy ivory goods in the future. That represents a very large number and a very grim future for elephants.
“I take every chance to share my campaign and the difficulties elephants are facing,” says Celia Ho, a 14-year-old student from Hong Kong who launched a campaign to stop ivory consumption after reading Bryan Christy’s “Blood Ivory” article in National Geographic. Her young voice represents a new hope for elephants that is increasing throughout Asia, while her story illustrates how one person can make a difference.
Harmonizing Elephant Deaths
Posted by Joyce Poole and Petter Granli of ElephantVoices in A Voice for Elephants on February 5, 2013 
What does it actually mean to “harmonize” elephant mortality and why should we do it? The simple answer is that with many people engaged in elephant conservation in Kenya, we need to agree on the actual figures, so that we can document what is going on and react in an appropriate way. In reality the situation is a bit more complex.
Poachers are capitalizing on the disarray in the Central African Republic (CAR) and appear to be moving freely in a search of elephants. Late last year several columns of Sudanese poachers, up to 200 well-armed men, were spotted traveling across northern CAR toward Chad and Cameroon. Reports last week indicate that these poachers are moving back-and-forth between CAR and Chad.
Bacteria Surviving at High Altitudes Could Play a Role in Global Climate
Posted by Tim Profeta of Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University on January 31, 2013 A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that even as high as 30,000 feet in the sky, fungi and bacteria are present in the air. These living microorganisms could very well affect global climate. “The million-dollar question in the field [right now] is how much living things can impact clouds, the hydrological cycle and…
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More elephants were slaughtered for their ivory in Kenya this weekend, including 20-year-old Phylo, an elephant known to wildlife conservationists.
Dear friends of Changila, I am deeply moved by all your letters, which I have read over and over again. Thank you. [You may read and add to the letters to Oria at the foot of her blog post Saluting Changila.] I share your feelings of rage and sadness. It will be a long battle to…
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China may be struggling with air quality, but the world’s most populous nation is getting some things right when it comes to safeguarding drinking water, according to a report released this week by Forest Trends’ Ecosystem Marketplace. That report, State of Watershed Payments 2012, is the second installment of a survey of efforts around the world to…
Surgical Masks–Not Just for the E.R.
Posted by Michael Fry on January 15, 2013 
Particulate levels in Beijing broke records last weekend, when the Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center recorded levels of PM2.5 that Reuters said may have reached 900 micrograms per square meter–more than 30 times what the World Health Organisation considers a safe daily level.
Stop Stimulating the Ivory Trade; Just Stop Trade
Posted by Mary Rice of the Environmental Investigation Agency in A Voice for Elephants on January 14, 2013 
Right now, the subject of ivory trading is on everyone’s lips: to trade or not to trade? There’s also a lot of talk about reducing demand by targeting consumers with awareness campaigns. But no one talks about targeting the individuals, governments, and vested interests that stimulate the trade.
Posted by Customs authorities in Hong Kong have seized over 1,000 kg of African ivory worth almost $1.5m. This concealed shipment of 779 tusks is the third largest seizure in just three months and was smuggled by sea from Kenya via Malaysia. A routine x-ray scan of a shipping container reported to contain “archaeological stones” revealed the…
Weaker Kyoto Protocol Extended at International Climate Negotiations
Posted by Tim Profeta of Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University on December 13, 2012 After weeks of deliberation among representatives of nearly 200 countries, the United Nations climate talks ended with an agreement to extend the life of the Kyoto Protocol. The only global agreement in place to curb greenhouse gas emissions from industrialized nations, it was set to expire at the end of this year. The second phase of the Kyoto Protocol still leaves…
Posted by Reports from the wildlife trade monitoring organization Traffic, African media outlets, and scholarly researchers point to well-developed trade in pangolins from African source countries to China.
Scientific Papers Share Lessons Learned from the BP Oil Spill
Posted by Tim Profeta of Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University on December 6, 2012 A collection of papers now out in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) looks at the response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in 2010, examining whether it was successful and how it could be improved. The release of the reports comes just days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suspended BP from obtaining new U.S. contracts due to…
